Beet-topper



W. HOAGG.

BEET TOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 15, 1919.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

1 SHEETS-SHEET 1- INVENTOR.

W ATTORNEY.

WITNESS: fidlzmad W. HOAGG.

BEET TOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 15, 1919.

1,401,079, Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

1 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

! NVEN TOR.

VW Hoayy M ATTORNEY.

WITNESS.- a JI%MM.

W. HOAGG.

BEET 1mm.

APBEICATION FILED DEC. 15; 1919- .7 1,401,079, Patented Dec. 20, 1921,

I SHEETS-SHEET 4- a. No Q. w

Q a WITNESS: INVENTOR.

Y1; Hoayy. M 62m ATTORNEY W. HOAGG.

BEET TOFPERF APPLICATION FILED DEC. I5, 1919.

1,401,079, Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6- I N VEN TOR.

W1 TYNESS:

fffl v BZ V. Hoayy. My ATTORNEY.

W. HOAGG.

B E ET TOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 15, 1919.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7- V/fV/ll/JYA I H Illlllllll WITNESS;

Patented Dee. 20, 1921. f

I INVENTQR.

UNETED STATES -WALTER HOAGG, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ZBEET-TOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented D80. 20, 1921.

Application filed December 15, 1919. Serial No. 344,868.

To all whom it may concern: 7 1

. Be it known that I, WALTER Hones, a citizenof the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Beet-Toppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention'relates to beet toppers and embodies among other features means for arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this specification like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and therein:

Figure 1 is a sideelevation' of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Fig. 3 is'a. viewsimilarto Fig. 1, looking from the opposite side of the machine.

Fig. 4: is a vertical sectional view taken on line 44= of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2. r

F'g. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig.2.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of one of the puller arms.

Fig. 9 is a sectional viewtakenon line 9 9 of Fig. l. j

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail view of the adjustable connection for the frame of the machine.

The'machine forming the subject matter of my invention comprises a frame. including spaced side members 10 and end members 11 and 12respectively. Qne of the side members lOis offset as at 13 vadjacent the rear end of the machine to accommodate theroot pulling mechanism to be hereinafter described. ,The machine isstrengthenedrby a transverse member 1 1 which connects the sides of the frame as shown. The frame of,

course is mounted upon wheels, preferably three in number. The front wheel 15 is of the caster type, while the wheels 16 and 17 respectively are the tractor wheels. One or both of the tractor wheels may be provided with calks 18 for obtaining an eiiec tive purchase upon the ground.

The mechanism for extracting roots and beets from the ground, consists of a pair of spaced disks or wheels 20 keyed upon a shaft 21 journaled between the side members 10 of the frame. The shaft 21 at a pointbeyond one side of the machine is'provided with clutch members 22 and 23 respectively. A lever 24 is utilized for throwing the clutch members into and out of engagement. A drive chain 25 is trained over a gear 26 formingpart of the clutch member 23, and,

over a gear 27 fi-Xed upon the hub of the tractor wheel 17. When the clutch members are in operative association, it is manifest that the. shaft 21 is rotated from the tractor wheel 17 The shaft 21 is tdrivena .few revolutions faster per minute than the drive wheel 17. Each of the disks or wheels 20 is provided with :a plurality of openings 28 adjacent the periphery of the wheel. Arranged to slide through aeachopening is a root or beet puller arm-30. The arms are arranged horizontally, while .the arms of the respective disks or wheels 2O are alined to work in pairs, the arms of each pair'being moved toward and away from each other in successive orderand at predetermined intervals. Arranged between each wheel or disk 20 and the adjacent side of the frame is a eam 31 securedtothe frame by means of the braces or supports 32. The arms are held in place by guide disks 33., while the .outer end of each arm has j ournaledthereon a pair of spaced wheels .84. which engagethe opposite faces oirsid'es ofwthe. adjacent cam 31. The ,inner ends ofthe arms 80 are relatively broad and have secured thereto tips 35 of rubber or other soft material. The parts are so arranged, that whenthe machine is in operation and the wheels 20 rotated, the arms 30 of the respective wheels .are moved toward each. other in pairs as .the wheels approach the groundtov effectively engage the roots or beets to be extracted. The armsaremoved inthis manner by reason of their association with the cams 31, while the rubber tips 35 allowthe the arms to obtain an effective purchase upon whatever is being extracted from the ground. 7 As the wheels 20 continue to rotate, the beets or roots are extracted from the ground and carried between the arms to a point adjacent the top of the wheels. At this point the rollers 34 start to travel over the offset portion 36 of each cam .31,

the beets in the direction of the forward end of the machine upon which the topping mechanism is mounted.

While thernachine is primarily intended as a beet puller and topper, it is susceptible for use in pulling beans, onions and other kinds of roots, and its general application is contemplated by the claims. The endless conveyor '37 comprises the chains 38 which are trained over the cog wheels 39 and 40. The links of the chain are provided with lugs 41 and" to the lugs of the respective chains are connected the rods 42. The con veyer'with the rods 42 is used for sugar beets or heavy roots, but when the machine is-used for pulling and discharging beans or small roots, a canvas belt or the like will be strapped over the chains and rods 42 as will beunderstood. The conveyer is driven from the shaft 21.

Disposed in advance of the conveyer 37 is the endless conveyer' forming part of the topping mechanism. This conveyer is of a construction somewhat similar to the conveyer 87, except that it extends across the entire width of the machine. The conveyer embodies spaced parallel shafts 44 upon each of which is'fixed a plurality of sprocket wheels 45, preferably three in number. Chains 46 are trained over each pair of sprockets, while the links ofeach chain are provided with; lugs47 which are connected with the parallel rods 48 which connect the respective chains. The shafts 44 are jour naled in suitable bearings 49 secured to the sides of the machine. Each of the rods 48 carries a plurality of. plates 50 which are setat an angle with respect to the rods so as to give the conveyor a screw pitch. The beets are deposited upon the conveyer 3'7 and travel thereon with their tops toward the front of the machine, the conveyer 37 transfferring the beets onto the conveyer forming part of the topping mechanism. A sprocket wheel 51 is fixed upon the shaft44 and trained over. this sprocket wheel, and the sprocket wheel 52 fixed upon the shaft 53 is an. endless chain 54 which operates the conveyer. The tops are then rolled between two screw shafts 56 which are arranged in superimposed relation in advance of the conveyer and journaled between the spaced uprights 57. The screw shafts are provided with gears'58 atone end which mesh with each other, while one .of said shafts is pro- ,fvided with a sprocket wheel 58. Trained over the sprocket 58 and the sprocket 59 fixed upon the shaft 44, is a chain 60 for operating the spiral or screw shafts 56. These shaftsare driven at the same speed or ratio per footas the topper conveyer. As theitops pass between these two shafts 56, they are screwed against and between :two blades '61 and 62 respectively, and consequentlythe tops are cut off. The blades are carriedby angular shaped bars 63 and each bar has one end connected with a bracket 64 by means of a slot and pin 65 and" 66 respectively. The blades can consequently be adjusted toward and away from each other by means of this construction. Correspond-v ing extremities of both the blades and their supporting bars are spread to provide a flared entrance opening or passage for the tops of the beets; After the tops have been cut from the beets, the beets are conveyed into a suitable trough, while the tops are conveyed into a suitable trough, the troughs being disposed relatively to discharge the beets and tops from the side of the machine in spaced rows, As shown in Fig. 3 the blades 61 and 62 are arranged between the spiral shafts 56 and the conveyer of the top- 90 ping mechanism.

The machine maybe adjusted vertically to properly position the extractingmecha nism with relation to the ground-according to the height of the cropbeing pulled. For this purpose a plate or the like 70 is fixed to the axles, and carries threaded sleeves 71.

with a hand wheel 7 5 for turning-the same.

One of the hand wheclsis connected -di rectly with the adjacent screw, whilethe screw at the forward end of the machine is provided with abevel gear 7 6 which meshes with a bevel gear 77 carried by a horizontally disposed rod 7 8 journaled in a bearing 79. The hand wheel 75 for this screw'is 11 fixed upon the rod 7 8 adjacent the driversv seat as shown. 7 H a The machine is designed to meet all the requirements of a beet extracting and topping mechanism. If necessary, the ordinary beet plow may be used in advance of the machine to loosen extremely hard ground 'orland. 7 As hereinbefore stated,the machine maybe used for pulling and discharging all kinds of roots, such as onions, beans, etc. 12

'When the machine is used for-extracting roots of this character, thetoppingmecha- I nism canbe removed, and an endless carrier mountedupon the machine at right angles to the conveyer 37. Arranged in advance of the extracting mechanism. are guards 8 0 I consider the preferred embodiment of the invention, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact arrangement illustrated, and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a beet topping machine, topping mechanism comprising spaced upper and lower cutting blades, having their cutting edges arranged to provide a flared entrance for the beet tops, means for conveying the beets toward the blades and moving the beet tops between the cutting edges thereof, said means being disposed in advance of the blades, and a pair of spiral shafts arranged at the oppositesides of the blades, said shafts being slightly spaced and arranged to engage the tops and screw the latter against the cutting edges of the blades for the purpose specified.

2. In a beet topping machine, topping mechanism including spaced upper and lower blades, an endless conveyor disposed in advance of the blades and arranged to convey the beets toward the latter for moving the beet tops between the cutting edges of said blades, a pair of spiral shafts arranged in spaced superimposed relation and at the opposite sides of the blades, said shaft being arranged to receive the tops of the beets after passing between the cutting edges and screwing said tops against said blades for the purpose specified, and means for rotating said spiral shafts.

3. In a beet topping machine, topping mechanism comprising spaced upper and lower cutting blades, an endless conveyer arranged in advance of said cutting blades, and adapted to convey the beets toward said blades and position the tops of the beets between the cutting edges thereof, a pair of superimposed spiral shafts arranged at the other side of said blades, gears carried by' the respective shafts and meshing with each other, means for operating said endless conveyer, and means for driving said shafts from said endless conveyer, said shafts be ing arranged and designed to receive the beet tops and screw the latter against the cutting edges of said blades for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WALTER HOAGG. 

